Airplane wing construction



Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES rPATENT oFF-ICE.

BENJAMIN DOUGLAS THOMAS, OF ITHACA, YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ON-TENTH T 'FECHAS-MORSE AIRCRAFT CORPORATION, 0F l'lHACA, NEW YORK, A CORPORA-v TION OF NEW YORK.

nTarLANn WING coNs'raUc'rIoN.

Application filed March 8,1923. Serial No. 623,613.

This invention relates to the construction of wings for airplanes, either monoplanes or biplanes, and has for one of its obJects to improve the pilots vision without diminish! I According to my improvement, the mlddle portion of the wing is extended forward, thus bringing the maximum chord depth farther from the pilot 4and greatly dimlnishlng the obstructed angle. As both the leading edge `and the trailing edge are set forward, the aerofoil section remains of substantially the same width throughout, and is not weakened by cutting or reducing the wing area.

Another feature of my improvement comprises trussed metal wing beams with a covering of sheet metal having the sections overlapping and riveted to the wing beam flanges thereb preventing the rivets from shaking or vi ratin loose. The nose por- Lo tion of the wing is a so formed in one piece, of` a sheet of metal bent laround with its ends riveted tothe top and bottom flanges of the forward beam.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a plan, in diagram, showing a form of wing embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, al sectional outline, indicating the aerofoil section at the centre, line 3 3, of the Wing, Fig. 4, a frontelevation; Fig. 5, a perspective view, showing a section of improved wing construction; and, Fig. 6,'an enlarged detail section of a win beam. Y

As shown 1n the drawing, the portion, 7,

usuall vthe middle portion of the wing, is exten ed forward both at the leading edge, 9, and the trailing edge, 10, of the wing,

whereby the aerofoil section in the extended span of the wing vwithout cutting or reducing stron ofthe wing above the cock pit, 8, which isV the wing area-. By this means the maximum depth of chord is advanced some distance from the point, 11, indicating the e e of thc pilot in the cock plt, whereby the o st ructedJ angle of vision is much smaller than in the case of the usual straight wing having parallel leading and trailing edges. This is in- 60 dicated-bv the dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The middle portion of the wing is also referably raised slightly above the level o the side portions, as indicated 'in the front elevation, Fig.

According to another feature of my improvement, the wing beams, 14, are formed of trussed metal sections, and the covering. is composed of metal, such as duralumin, formed in sheets, preferably corrugated, and of the proper length to overlap at their adjoining ends at the wing beams, said overlapping ends being riveted to the wing beams. The beam ianges'maybe constructed of double angle sections, 12, riveted back to back, with a cap strip, 13, on the top, as shown inFig. 6. The web members, 17, may be made up of single or multiple corrugated metal strips. The ends of the corrugated metal sheets, 15, forming the covering, over- 'lap and are riveted to the flanges, 12, of the wing beams, as indicated, thereby forming a anddurable joint, and vone in which 'the rivets will not shake loose. The nose portion of the wing comprises a single metal sheet, 16, bent around to the proper form, and having its edges riveted to the top and bottom ianges, respectively, of the forward beam.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the main wing beams, 14, indicated in dotted lines, extend longitudinally ofthe wing, and substantially parallel, while auxiliary Wing beams, 18, eX'- tending at an angle to the main wing beams, may be provided for the lmiddle or forwardly extended portion.

This construction of wing with the forwardl extending middle portion, also has the a vantage that the centre of lift of the i wing is brought further forward without 100 producing any structural disadvantage.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and .desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An airplane wing of full aerofoil section throughout its span and shaped so as to increase the pilots angle of vision without vdincu'nishing the Wing area, the middle por-` tion of the Wing bein extended forward for said purpose at both ie leading and trailing 5 edges, .parallel transverse trussed beams in A the side portions of the wing, and auxiliary beams, of similar construction, in said middie portion, said auxiliary beams being arranged at an angle to said side portion beams and connected thereto. 10

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJAMIN DOUGLAS THOMAS. 

